Automation and technological convenience have transformed previously active and ambulatory persons across the globe into increasingly sedentary beings. This trend is particularly prevalent in the workplace, where employees are often required to spend up to 8 hours a day seated at a desk, with their only substantial physical activity consisting of an occasional trip to the water cooler. When coupled with a diet of high calorie soft drinks and energy-dense, processed foods, increasingly sedentary lifestyles have led to an obesity epidemic, particularly in countries such as the United States. Many have proposed methods and devices to increase physical activity in the workplace. Few, however, have seen widespread adoption or commercial success.
Exercise devices which incorporate both a desk and a chair have been developed for integration into the office workplace. Such devices allow for both work and exercise at the workplace without having to leave the office or move furniture every time it is desired to exercise. However, adoption of such exercise devices into an existing workplace requires a substantial capital expenditure, because the exercise device will replace an existing desk and an existing chair.
In order to reduce the capital expenditure, it would be desirable to have an exercise device which could be integrated with a typical desk and a typical modern office chair. A typical desk is about 30 inches high, allowing space for a person to sit in a chair at the desk and have sufficient room for the person's legs under the desk. A typical modern office chair has a central stand for supporting the chair seat, and five legs extending from the central stand, with each leg ending in a wheel; this allows the chair to be rolled to and from the desk, and easily moved into a comfortable position to work at the desk or leave the desk.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,212 to Nelson describes a platform with indentations and a barrier bar for a chair, as well as a cross bar and sleeve system for a chair; the sole chair illustrated is a non-wheeled four-leg chair. U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,575 to Holslag describes a foot exerciser to be used in conjunction with a separate chair; the foot exerciser includes a plate onto which the feet of a chair are to be placed. U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,623 to Mitchell describes an exerciser which includes a U-shaped ramp, onto which a wheelchair may be placed. Patent Application Publication, Pub. No. US 2002/0098960 to Rusinak-Connors describes a retractable securing element, such as a fabric loop/hook fastener, for securing a chair to an under-desk device. Patent Application Publication, Pub. No. US 2004/0142797 to Andre describes a rigid connection clamp, which clamps to the central shaft of a five-leg chair. U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,892 to Wu describes an exercise machine for use with a wheelchair that includes a metal platform that the wheelchair could roll onto.